New challenge in advanced thermal energy transportation using functionallythermal fluids

The present review article presents the current status of some researches o n thermal energy transportation using functionally thermal fluid, which is a mixture of heat transfer medium like water and other material with or wit hout phase change like a paraffin wax as a latent heat storage material. Th is functionally thermal fluid offers attractive opportunities for thermal e nergy transportation and hear transfer enhancement of heat exchanger. This article describes classification and characteristics of functionally therma l fluids and their application. Referring to functionally thermal fluid for the usage of sensible heat, some viscoelastic fluids for flow drag reducti on in a thermal energy transport system such as aqueous polymer solution an d surfactant solution are mentioned. On the other hand, this article descri bes heat transfer and hydrodynamic characteristics of some phase change slu rries like ice slurry, phase change microemulsion slurry, phase change micr oencapsule slurry, clathrate slurry and shape-stabilized paraffin and polye thylene pellets as functionally thermal fluids using latent heat between so lid and liquid phases. Finally, it leads to the conclusion that some functi onally thermal fluids are very useful for the advanced thermal energy trans portation and heat exchanger systems. (C) 2000 Editions scientifiques et me dicates Elsevier SAS.